Cruella (2021)
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An aspiring fashion designer in 1970s London navigates a path of rebellion that leads her to become a notorious icon.
The story
Set in London during the punk rock movement of the 1970s, the film follows Estella Miller, an aspiring fashion designer. After being ostracized for her rebellious behavior and unique appearance, Estella moves to London where she befriends two street urchins. While working as a janitor at a prestigious fashion house, she catches the eye of the formidable Baroness von Hellman. To gain recognition and reclaim a stolen family heirloom, Estella creates the persona of 'Cruella.' This transformation begins a high-stakes game of fashion and rivalry as she seeks to outshine the Baron_ness and establish her own identity in the cutthroat world of haute couture.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1964 England, Estella Miller is a creative child ostracized for her rebellious behavior. After her mother, Catherine, is pushed off a balcony during a frantic search for money, Estella moves to London and befriends Jasper and Horace. In 1977, while working as a janitor at the Liberty department store, Estella catches the eye of the authoritarian Baroness von Hellman. To reclaim her mother's stolen necklace and gain fame, Estella adopts the persona of 'Cruella.' She begins a public rivalry with the Baroness, eventually discovering that the Baroness is her biological mother who abandoned her. After a series of escalating schemes, including a sabotaged fashion show, Estella is captured and nearly killed by the Baroness. She is saved by the Baroness's valet, John, who reveals the truth of her parentage. Estella eventually confronts the Baroness at a charity gala, where she 'dies' in a staged fall, allowing her to fully adopt the Cruella de Vil identity. She survives with a parachute and takes over the Baroness's estate, while the Baroness is arrested.
- First release year
- 2021
- Runtime (minutes)
- 134
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Craig Gillespie
- Writers
- Dana Fox · screenplay; Tony McNamara · screenplay; Aline Brosh McKenna · story; Kelly Marcel · story; Steve Zissis · story
- Cast and characters
- Emma Stone · Estella Miller / Cruella de Vil; Emma Thompson · Baroness von Hellman; Joel Fry · Jasper; Paul Walter Hauser · Horace; Emily Beecham · Catherine Miller; Kirby Howell-Baptiste · Anita Darling; Mark Strong · John
- Genres
- crime; comedy
- Themes
- identity; motherhood; revenge; fashion
- Tone and mood
- punk; bold; daring
- Premise and plot tags
- origin story; fashion; rebellion
- Source material / true-story basis
- Dodie Smith's 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians
- Franchise connections
- 101 Dalmatians
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, with praise for its visual style, costume design, and the performances of the lead actresses.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 75% · scale: percentage · review count: 415; Metacritic · score: 59 · scale: 100 · review count: 56; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 84% · scale: percentage
- Awards and nominations
- Best Costume Design · Academy Awards · 94th · win; Best Costume Design · Critics' Choice Awards · 27th · win; Best Costume Design · British Academy Film Awards · 75th · win; Best Makeup and Hairstyling · Academy Awards · 94th · nomination; Best Makeup and Hairstyling · Critics' Choice Awards · 27th · nomination; Best Makeup and Hairstyling · British Academy Film Awards · 75th · nomination; Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · Golden Globe Awards · 79th · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was the first major red-carpet event since the COVID-19 pandemic began.; Emma Stone was not allowed to portray her character smoking due to a Disney ban.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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